Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-08-13

the DARK waters 81 the O8n-u0aus
The storm now began to fall upon that
sorrowful place, and as the rain began to
fall, Edward Brennan, though longing for
death, plunged into the dam and rescued
father, mother, and sister, although dead,
from the water, and carried them into the
cabin.
He then closed the door, and for the first
time noticed dagger lying under chair,
and looking at it he saw the name of Ben
Warner engraved on the handle. Casting
it down he went and kpeeled between his
dead father and mother, and with one hand
resting in theirs, he lifted the other toward
heaven and prayed that his father, mother.
and sister might be avenged.
At this moment terrific report echoed
along the sky, AS if to show that his prayer
was answered; and with a lighter heart he
laid down to sleep, and the roar of the
wind and patter of rain drops soon lulled
his weary form to rest, to sleep with the
dead.
rays Of a morning sun beamed against the
windows, and on looking around he saw
the three dead bodies. He thought at first
that it was dream, but the events of that
dreadful evening dawned upon him, and
convinced him of their reality. Sand they
must be buried" he next thought. and he
then went to try and get aid to bury them;
so he went to where the miners were, but
great was his establishment when he saw
that nothing remained of their hut except
few ashes, and few feet from the ashes
lay the mangled form of man. When
Edward Brennan gazed on the face, though
terribly disfgured, he knew hie prayer was
answered, for before him lay Ben Warner.
cold in death, with face as dark as mid
night and terrible wounds on his body.
The ground under him was torn up,
which showed where the electric current
struck. And it was here that Ben Warner
met his fate after his murderous work.
The victims of his murderous dagger we're
avenged, but not through the instrument
tality of man; it was from higher power.
After shudder at seeing such spec
tacle he wenthome yes, to sorrowful home,
and with his own hands he dug nice, large
grave, and ornamented it with the wild
flowers that adorned that wilderness, and
gently laid father, mother, and sister side
by side. No one was there to help him,
no one to sympathize with him, for all was
lost.
And in that wilderness where solitude
reigns supreme, and where nature is
adorned like goddess, there could be
seen a new-made grave under the shade
and blossoms of an apple tree, and the
three forms sleep there, peacefully, and
quietly until they shall be called forth to
the neverending kingdom of rest. And
as the sun disappeared from mortal sight,
and as the shades of night came on, sor-
rowful figure could be seen approaching
that new-made grave, and, judging from his
movements, there must have been terrible
emotions within him. Soon the unearthly
notes of the whippoorwill were heard, and
together with the dirge of the frog, there
was formed strange chorus of sounds
which were waited to the lonely grave; and
the tree which had stood there for years
and years, as living monument to their
memory, seemed to shake and culver as if
Vaccination was formed against it.
Here the hunter ceased speaking. but
walked toward the apple tree and beckoned
me to come there also. went there, when
he again said, Here they lie TO this day.
and you see the grass is green on their
grave" We sat in silence for few min
utes, when he again spoke, "And now
Young man, I have told you the story re-
lating to this mystery which hangs over
this fearful place, and trust that all is
clear now. Some say that the place is
haunted, and that three persons in white
are seen; if it is so you can readily imagine
who they are." then thanked him for
telling me the story, and asked if he knew
what became of Edward Brennan.
Whereupon he looked at me, and saw
that his eyes were full of tears, and with
an unsteady voice he said, Edward
Brennan, whose life was saddened by the
loss of his father, mother, and sister forty
years ago, stands before you, not any more
young man, but one who is ready to
leave this world with its sorrow and sin.
Shortly after I buried them went away,
unable to look upon that horrible place,
but an irresistible impulse has drawn me
here after that long lapse of time. And
here stand again where I stood forty
years ago, but all is changed; their grave
is overgrown with grass, the saw-mill is in
ruins, and the log cabin is fast crumbling
to ashes. The stream is, indeed, the only
feature that is not changed, while am the
most changed of all.
For few minutes sat with bowed
head. and when I again looked up he was
gone, and being thus left alone in strange
way. I decided to go home; and when on
an elevated part of the mountain glanced
down into the vale saw him kneeling
under the apple tree with uplifted hands.
The scene was too affecting to gaze at,
and journeyed homeward and arrived there
inst mn NIGHT was shrondino fho oorfh In